One Last Time
by rentaholic00
Summary: midRENT...In Angel's hospital room just before her death. AngelCollins, MimiAngel friendship.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer** – I don't own RENT…the wonderful Jonathan L. does.

**Author's Note** – Just cause they're cute and Angel's my favorite…and my Internet is down.

"…and apparently I that was outrageously hilarious because Rog fell off his chair he was laughing so hard." The three laughed as Mimi finished painting Angel's last fingernail her favorite bright blue. She blew on the nail, put the lid on the bottle, and looked lovingly at the drag queen lying weakly in the hospital bed.

Collins got up from where he had been sitting on the bed and started to leave the room. "I'll leave you two…" He whispered to Mimi on the way out, "She's going…we only have a few hours left." Mimi's eyes welled up and she nodded. She blinked the tears away, not wanting Angel to see them. Collins shut the door behind him as he left.

"Mimi chica, come here." Angel gestured feebly by crooking her finger towards her. Mimi got up from her chair and sat right next to Angel's pillow. Angel adjusted herself in the bed so that she was sitting up straight. She put her hand under Mimi's chin and lifted her head, but not before she had to watch three tears fall from Mimi's eyes. They left dark spots on the thin sheet.

"Mimi, baby, don't cry. You'll get on without me. I might not be here physically, but I'll always be in here." She tapped Mimi's chest. "And here, with memories," Angel said as she tapped her best friend's temple. "Roger will take care of you better than I could, Maureen and Joanne and Mark will always be there for you. And my baby will be there for you, too. I'll make sure that he never lets anything happen to you. You're the younger sister I never had, and I'll love you forever." After her speech, Angel began to cry a little, but by then Mimi was sobbing. Angel rubbed her back and shushed her.

"But Angel, who will I talk to? Maureen and Jo are always either making out or fighting, so I won't be able to talk to them. And for reasons that I don't need to explain I can't talk to Roger and Mark…about girl stuff anyway…and Collins is always working." Mimi was ashamed of herself. Her best friend was lying there, dying of AIDS, and here she was complaining about not having anyone to talk to. She began to talk again just as Angel was about to intercede, so Angel backed down. "You're my best friend, Angel, how am I supposed to be able to go on without you? I've known you almost my entire life. We met when were in what, the seventh grade? I've known you for almost ten years, Ang." Mimi finally figured out that it was a lost cause to argue as she saw the look of protest on Angel's face. "I'll miss you, baby." Was all she said. To that, Angel replied, "I'll miss you, too chica. I'll save a spot for you right next to me in heaven." One tear trickled out of the drag's left eye.

Mimi rose, climbing off the bed. She unlaced her hand from Angel's, as they had somehow intertwined during the conversation. She gently bent down and kissed Angel on the left cheek, then the right one. Her forehead was next, the tip of her nose, her right ear. Mimi dropped one last kiss on Angel's forehead as Angel kissed Mimi's cheeks, which were soaked with tears. "Do you want Collins now?" Mimi asked.

"Yes, please. I love you, Mimi."

"Wait for me, Angel. I love you."

And with that, Mimi gave her one last longing look, and turned handle on the door to invite Collins back in. "She wants you now, Col," Mimi's voice cracked as she sobbed. He made sure that Mimi was composed before he spent his last few minutes with his love.


	2. Chapter 2

OS2-Chap. 2

Collins admitted it to himself-he was afraid. He didn't know of what exactly, but he was scared. Maybe of losing Angel, maybe being alone, maybe the thought that he might never love again. He couldn't place his finger on it, but the fear was definitely there.

He pushed the door open and saw his baby lying there. When she saw him, Angel smiled so brightly that it lit up the room. She held her arms out to him, and Collins received the invitation. He brought Angel into a warm, strong hug and was soon holding her, rocking her back and forth.

As they rocked, Angel felt a single tear fall onto her head. She twisted around to look at Collins, tears streaming from his deep brown eyes. "Baby, not you, too. Everyone's crying over me, and I can't stand it. Please, be the one who won't cry about Angel, at least in front of her. I can't handle knowing that I'm causing you and our family this much grief." She kissed him softly on the mouth. The kiss reassured Collins and gave him the willpower to stop crying.

"Okay. Thank you, Ang."

"I love you," Angel reminded him.

Collins kissed the top of her head ever so lightly, just hitting the short black wig, but Angel felt it nonetheless. She smiled, but it never reached her beautiful brown eyes. Collins sighed deeply, his head falling until it reached the top of Angel's head. "What, baby? What's wrong?" Angel asked.

"It's just tha-…" Collins stopped, searching for the right words to use for describing the emotion he was feeling. "I met you less than ten months ago. Remember, in the alley?" Collins looked at her quizzically. "Of course, continue," Angel prompted.

"When I first saw you, I knew we were meant for each other. I believe in love at first sight and I knew that I was in love the moment I laid eyes on you. You brought so much joy and happiness to my life, Angel. Thank you so much. You saved my life that night. How can I ever repay you? Anything, tell me to anything your amazing little heart desires." Collins was begging now.

"Only two promises, baby. One: take care of my little Mimi. Her personality demands a little ego boost every now and then. She also needs to be encouraged every day to stop using. Remind Roger about that, too." She sucked in a long, staggered breath and closed her eyes.

"Ang? The second thing?" Collins asked, gently stroking her hair.

"Oh. Please, whatever you do…" She stopped, glancing at her lover's face. It said to go on. "Love me until the day you die." Such a simple request. Collins had only truly been in love once, with Angel. That promise would be easy to keep.

Protecting Mimi, however, that was the hard one. She was so stubborn, so hard to get her to listen to you. Only two people had really clicked with Mimi. Angel and Roger. Collins mulled this over. He would find a way to watch over Mimi. For Angel.

Angel drew in a sharp breath and winced. "I promise," was all Collins said. Angel's breaths became quicker and shorter.

"Look at me, Thomas." The only time she had ever called him Thomas.

They both knew she could go any minute now. Collins looked her in the eyes. The beautiful brown eyes. One last time. They both leaned in and kissed each other on the lips, very gently, but with enough force to make it matter. One last time.

Angel's breath became even quicker.

"I love you, Angel." Collins said, his voice cracking a bit on the last word.

One last time.

She drew in a sharp breath, just enough to say, "I love you, Tom Collins."

One last time.

And she went limp. Collins let out a cry, the tears he had been holding back falling from his eyes in waterfalls. The sobs racked his body, he was shaking. He had lost the only person he had ever loved. His arms remained wrapped around Angel's weak, thin body. She was gone. She really was gone. But she wasn't in pain anymore. That was the only thing that kept Collins going. That, and the fact that his Angel would be in his arms again soon.


End file.
